Rectifier for lamps.



J: G. POLE.

RECTIFIER FOR LAI'fiPS.

APPLICATION EILED AUG. 1910.

Pafiented Sept. '25,

2 SEEETB EHEL W, a (I; NVENTOR 7 M y 4 ATTORNPYS:

I. c. POLE.

BECTIPIER FOB. LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED 11113.4. 1910.

1,1 10,644. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2.

QNPXO A Q mi o Mo 1m] Q I 0 m w ATTORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH C. POLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RECTIFIER FOR LAMPS.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrrr G. POLE, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary,

and resident of New York, county of New ling current flow in the system, say by pro-- viding sustaining induc'tances in the sepa rate anode circuits of the rectifier, 1n combination with circuit interrupting elements,

enabling them to be used as means for starting the rectifier tube.

A further ibject of the invention is to provide means for preventing the deleterious action of the tilting magnet usual in this art upon the vapor tube device.

The distinctive features of the invention will be more fully described in connection with the drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a diagram of the circuits showing the relation of the various parts; Fig. 2 a simplified sketch, largely diagrammatic, of the connections; and Figs. 3 and 4.,respectively, back and front viewsof a commercial embodiment of the rectifier and related parts.

In the first figure of the drawing, 1 represents the container of the rectifier which may be made of glass, 2 a transformer suitable for adapting the alternating supply to the rectifier, 3, 3 and 4, 4C are respectively coils with iron cores for steadylng and keeping-alive purposes and for starting. A cut out for the circuit of the starting anode is shown at 5, and 6 is the circuit for supply ing direct current translating devices '7, 7, 7, for example a direct current mercury vapor lamp, 7 The whole apparatus is controlled by the supply switch, 8, and the double pole fuse block, 9. As the particular form of rectifier shown starts by tilting of. the container, an armature, 10, between the poles of the core, 11, of the coils,

4, 4, is pivoted near the center mechanically linked with. the container, 1, which is suitably'niounted to be tiltedin any desired manner. As the magnetic field of the coils,

Patented Sept. 15 1914.

i, 4:, may have a deflecting efiect upon the.

current within the container ordinarily not,

desirable in this apparatus, I may introduce a magnetic shield 20 between the coil and the rectifier bulb as for example a heavy plate of iron. By this means I am able to prevent the magnetic field of the coils. 4, 4:, from exerting a harmful effect upon the. action of the rectifier. The operation of the apparatus will be described farther on.

In Fig. 2 are shown simplified connections,

of the apparatus here chosen to represent my invention.- The transformer primary winding, 2", having several taps at one end,

of the winding, supplies energy to the sec: ondary winding, 2*, oi the transformer,

The terminals of the secondary winding, 2 I

are connected through coils, 3, 3, to the anodes, 12, 12, of the rectifier, the middle part of the secondary, 2 is connected, through translating devices, 7, 7, 7, and the 1 coil, i, 4, and the coil of the cutout, 5, to]

the cathode, 13, of the rectifienflT he start ing anode, 14:, is connected through the con- 1 tacts of the out out, 5 to the lead ofthe anode, 12. In Figs. 3 and i thesevarious parts are shown in elevation in-an embodie ment actually utilized for practical commer--- cial purposes. upon straps, 15, 15, bolted or otherwise supported on a vertical surfac at the points, 1.6, 16, 16. O11 these straps at the rear are mounted the transformer, 2, near the bottom, the coils 3, 3, in suitable clamps and the .coils 4, 4, on a panel, asshown. The

The apparatus is mounted coils," 3, 3, happen, in this instance, to have t the last layer of the winding only partially filled with wire, On the front of the straps, 15, 15, is mounted a slate or marble panel,

17, carrying the container, 1., which is rotatably mounted on a shaft passing through the panel andfalso carrying the armature, 10, which armature lies in the field of the.

cores, 11, ll of the coils, l, 4. Thecut out, .7

5, is mounted on the front of the panel, 17.

Flexible wires, 18, 18 18, and 18, are made use of to connect the various electrodes with suitable binding postsmounted upon the panel, 17. The various conductors between the parts including the several taps .105

from thetransformcr primary. winding, 2

impressed upon the primary 2",. thereby :in-

are shown and need no further description.

ducing voltage in the secondary, 2. A 011'- cuit is then made through one of the coils, 3, through the contacts of the cut out, 5, to the starting anode, 14. The container is so balanced that when unaffected by the magnetic armature, 10, it hangs in such a position that the electrodes, 13 and 14, are in contact. Under the starting condition now bein described, therefore, current will pass rom the starting anode, 14, to the cathode, 13 (which electrodes are preferably of meronly), and thence throughthe cut out coil, 5, the coils, 4, 4', and the translating devices 7, 7, 7, back to the middle ofthesecondary, 2". This current will obviously be alternating'and, in virtue of the impedance offered to alternating current by the circuit it traverses, will be relatively limited in volume. The armature, 10, and the apparatus related thereto are, however, so proportioned that this alternating current will be sufiicient to tilt the container, 1, sufficiently to interrupt the contact between the starting anode, 14, and the cathode, 13. By the well known action of such a breaking of a current carrying contact within the container,

the apparatus will start into operation in virtue of the fact that voltage is impressed upon the anodes, 12, 12, by the secondary, Wfipoi idcd the breaking of the contact be-' tw theelectrodes occurs at a favorablen moment Within the c cle. B tion of-operation in t e rectl er, however,

current directly from the anodes, 12,12,

enters the cathode, l3, and traverses the cut out coil, 5, the coils, 4, 4, and the translating devices, 7, 7, 7. This current being rectified is a pulsating direct current an not alternating and hence does not suffer thesame opposition from the inductance of its circuit as did the initial alternatin current and will therefore greatly exceed t e latter in volume. The cut out, 5, is so proportioned that under the influence of this in-, creased current the cut out contacts will be separated thus disconnecting the anode, 14, and interrupting the starting circuit. Should, however, the separation between the electrodes, 13 and 14, caused by the tilting during the starting operation occur'at an unfavorable point in the cycle, the tilting current will beinterrupted without starting the apparatus and the coils, 4, 4, will consequently be demagnetized and the container, '1, will returnto its initial position with the electrodes, l3'and 14 in contact. The remaking of this contact will renew the starting current and the tilting operation will berepeated and so on until the apparatus is started. If, .foryan reason, this ap; paratus becomes extinguis ed, as by the momentary failure of the supply, the starting 0 eration will be renewed y the restoration 0 normal conditions.

An important function of the coils, 3,

the initiais to sustain the current in the circuit of the cathode, l3, and the translating devices, 7, 7, 7, during the periodic intervals of in-- sufficiency in the supply voltage. Either coil will act to prolong the current flow traversing it as its Volta e drops until current flow is established y the increase of voltage through the circuit of the other coil, 3. The same action is performed by the coils, 4, 4, which serves to maintain continuance and-to steady the current through the cathode, 13, and the translatin devices, 7, 7,

v 7. The coils, 3, 3, serve as wel the-function of the so-called backing or means for absorbing voltage more orless in proportion to current flow. Such means, as for example resistances, are required with types of apparatus having falling volta e c aracteristic with increasing current. n my invention the coils, 3, 3, while serving the purpose of backing do so more economically than equally eifective resistances in view of the fact that they may absorb voltage more or less in proportion tocurrent flow without a. corresponding dissipation of ener The above described rectifier is especial y useful for running direct current apparatus or lamps which require, on common direct cur.- rent circuits, series resistance to take up the necessary backing voltage and series inductance for steadying the current, such as mercuryvapor lamps. In this case the inductance coils 3, 3 will replace both series resistance and series inductance of the-direct current apparatus so that the apparatus may be kept smaller in size and cheaper.

While I have fully described one embodiment of my invention, other arrangements departing widely therefrom may beutilized and I WlSh to include and claim all such systems utilizing the novel features disclosed herein. 4

I claim as my'invention:

1. The combination with a single phase supply and direct current translating devices, of an intermediate transformer-{ a mercury'vapor rectifier comprising an hermetically sealed exhausted container, two main anodes, a starting anode and a liquid cathode therein, said tuo last named electrodes being adapted tonmke and break contact through movement of the container and separate inductance coils connected between the gether with a cut out having its coil inserted 1n the lead of said cathode and responsive to current therein, the contacts of said out out being inserted in said starting circuit.

2. In a system of electrical distribution in which direct current translating devices are fed from an alternating source, through a mercury vapor rectifier having suitable anodes and a cathode, means for steadying and controlling current flow, said means consisting of separate inductance coils in the leads of said-anodes, a tilting coil in the lead of said cathode'and a cut out also inserted in the said lead.

3. In a system of electrical distribution in which direct current translating devices are fed from an alternating current source through a mercury vapor rectifier having suitable anodes and a cathode, a starting electrode within the rectifier for breaking down'the original negative electrode reluctame, a shunt circuit including the said start-in electrode and themain negative electrode and an automatic cut-out for the branch circuit.

4. The combination with a vacuum electrio-apparatus comprising an exhausted container, and suitable electrodes therefor between which, when of opposite signs, current is adapted to pass, and a tilting ma et in the neighborhood thereof, the field 0 which is liable, when nil-restrained, to have a deflecting eli'ect upon the current in the vacu:

which is liable, when un-restrained, to have.

a deflecting effect upon the current in the vacuum apparatus, of an iron shield inserted between said magnet and said apparatus.

Signed at New York in; the county of New York and State of New York this 1st day of August A. D. 1910.

Day JOSEPH C. POLE.

Witnesses WM. H. CAPEL, Gnome H. Srocnmuncn. 

